Risotto Croquettes

Sometimes a good idea doesn't work. We liked the Risotto with Green Beans and Sun-Dried Tomatoes that I came up with, so I thought fresh local summer tomatoes would work too. Wrong. Or, at least, I couldn't get the moisture/risotto texture right. And of course, inspired by the abundance of tomatoes, I made a double batch. What to do?

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Form the risotto into balls, adding additional cooked brown rice if desired. Roll the risotto balls into bowls (successively) of flour, beaten egg, and bread crumbs. Place on an oiled cooking sheet, and bake for about 40 minutes. (Check with a fork to see that the outside is crisp, but the inside appears still moist.)

Serve with your choice of sauce. Basil pesto s very nice.

That's what to do.

Chilled Cucumber Soup

Think cucumber gazpacho. We suddenly have had more cucumbers on hand than anticipated, and this is a nice way to use a fair quantity. If you're lucky, as we have been, to get cucumbers straight from the garden (or CSA share), there's no need to peel them. If they have come from the supermarket, though, peel first to remove the fine coating of wax that they have been sprayed with.

Trim the ends off 8 medium/large cucumbers, and cut in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Cut each half into 3-4 long strips. Cut the strips into piece a bit smaller than 1/2", and put into a large bowl or saucepan.

Add to the cucumbers

• One quart of plain yogurt
• 3 bell peppers (if ripened to yellow or red, all the better), seeded and chopped
  
• a bunch of scallions, chopped
• a bunch of chives, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 generous Tablespoons dried dill
• 4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons wine vinegar
• Salt

With a cup of cold water reserved on the side, use an immersion blender or food processor to liquefy the soup. Add water as needed to get the texture and consistency you want; I prefer to leave the cucumbers with some small chunks left, not completely liquefied.

Chill the soup for at least an hour before serving.

Serve topped with chopped toasted walnuts (but don't add them until serving, so they don't become soggy).